Anti-Social Networking (final post)

After several days of cleaning, re-wiring and destroying 2 LCD monitors, it was concluded that the white spirit used to clean the glue off had destroyed the screen itself. When I plugged it in and used the polarized film over it, I could get the screen colour (blue) to come through but no image or mouse. Around the edges they both had a strange paint like effect which I think was the outline of where the white spirit had soaked through.

However, this was 1 step closer to success and I will try again when I have money to buy another screen...

MOVING ON...

For the installation itself I used a regular computer screen with headphones attached so the user could head what was being said. i set up the other 2 screens on TV/DVD Combi's and ran all 3 films on loops. The viewer had to sit on the floor in the middle of these screens which gave the sense of being surrounded by social networking and constantly being watched. This effect was enhanced by the uncomfortableness of having to sit on the floor having people at the exhibition watching you watching the film. I feel it really said what I wanted it to say. You were watching the screen, the screen was watching you, and people were watching you and you were aware of them watching you watching them.
It was a great way to comment on my culture, I've spent over 10 years social networking, I can't explain why, I haven't really said if it's good or bad, I've just said this is how it is.

This has been one of the hardest projects I've ever done, with so many set backs and distractions, however when all the faces sync'd up (see video above) on both screens it was so surreal, so noisy and so... horrible, that it made it all worth it! Although I could've and probably should have done a lot more with this idea, I think it can be something that carries on into a theatre piece (I hope).

See Datamosh Screen HERE and 2 Screens HERE.